Connection-box and plugging-jack.



H. F. RICHARDSON. CONNECTION BOX AND PLUGGING JAU'K.

APPLICATION r| L0 SEPT. n. 19H.

1,223, 1 1 1 Patented Apr. 17, 1917;

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. F. RICHARDSON.

CONNECTION BOX m PLUGGING HCK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. H. 1914 1,223, 1 1 1 Patented Apr; 17, 1917.

3 SHEETS-MEET 2.

H. F. RICHARDSON.

CONNECTION BOX AND PLUGGING JACK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. ll, I914.

Patented Apr. 17,1917.

7 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- stall and connect, and that it shall be restrictedthereto.

UNITED sTArns PA ENT OFFICE.

HENRY FERGUSON RICHARDSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT ANDMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SAID HENRY FERGUSON RICHARDSON AND CHARLES AUTH,TRUSTEES, OF HOBOKEN, NEW YORK.

CONNECTION -BOX AND PLUGGING- JACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

Application filed September 11, 1914. Serial N 1. 861,178.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY FERGUSON RICHARDSON, of New York, in thecounty of New York, and in the State of New York, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Connection-Boxes andPluggingJacks, and do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

The object of my invention has been to provide a connection box andplugging jack; having, among-others, the following advan ta es:

hat it shall be capable of use in a variety of positions; that it shallbe cheap to inractically safe from short circuiting and grounding, evenwhen installed by comparatively careless labor, and to such ends myinvention consists in the connection box and plugging jack hereinafterspecified.

In the accompanying drawings- Figural is a side elevation of anembodiment of my invention when mounted upon a conduit beneath a deskand connected with 1 apparatus upon the desk;

Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, front and backv elevations of the box,the front cover and its attached contact block being removed;

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views of the front cover with its attachedcontact block;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of Fig.

1 taken through the conduit;

Fi 7 is an end elevation of the box show- .ing t e conduit openingclosed by a screw lgs. 8 and 9 are, respectlvely, front and back viewsof the contact blocks with the wires attached;- I

Fig. 10 is a view of the box of Fig. 1 used upon a wall between sectionsof a conduit; and

box and plugging jack mounted on a baseboard.

tion known to me, such form is be rearded as typical only of manypossible emodiments and my invention is not to be My invention relatesto devices-for mak- Fig. 11 is a view showing my connection I ing aseparable connection between wires fixed in or to a floor or wall of abuilding and push bu tons, telephone systems and other apparatus mountedupon a desk. It being desirable to have the desk movable, it isnecessary tl at the connection between the wires on the desk and thosefixed upon the building be r: adily detachable. My inven tion isparticularly designed for such a connection, in which there are aconsiderable number of wi 78S running to the desk In the illustratedembodiment, the principal parts are the four sides of a box 1, 2, 3 and4, front and back covers 5 and 6,'respectively, and connection blocks 7and 8, respectively, 'vhich blocks are formed of non-conductingmaterial,. and upon which blocks are mounted, the plugs, sockets orother forms 06 connecting devices, one for each wire to be connected.One of said blocks is monr ted upon the front cover 5 of the box, andthe other within the box frame itself, so that the removal of the coverfrom the box will carry 'with it its connection block and the wiresattached thereto.

I will first describe in detailthe form of the connection blocks andthen the manner of mounting t1 rein in the box.

In the form Lllustrated,'each block has two rows of (3011116! tingdevices mounted therein upon the face of theblock, the connectingdevices on the block 7, in the present instance, being i: 1 the form ofsockets 9 which. are adapted to receive split plugs 10 mounted in theface 0: f the opposing'block 8. Each plug and each socket has a terminalscrew 11 passing through the side of the block and entering itsparticular plug or socket thescrew havi 1g a washer beneath its headclamped betwe en the head of the screw and the washer. I

The multiple wires, in the form of a "cable, for instance, are receivedin a channel 12 formed in the sack .of each block, and a slot 13 isformed it the side walls of the channel opposite each terminal-screw.Each channel is preferablIy covered by some non-conducting materia Inthe present instance I have shown for thi: purpose a plate 15 ofnonconducting material, by means of which the wires are protected frombeing touched by anythin metallic.

The b ock 8, as before stated, is secured to the front cover and this isdone, in the present instance, by means of screws. The block 7 is, inthe present instance, illustrated as secured by screws to bridge pieces17 formed in the box. The covers may be fastened to the box frame in anydesired manner, as by screws.

The blocks 7 and 8 preferably do not extend the entire length of the boxbut leave a space between themselves and the box end 1, and an openingis formed in said end for the admission of the cable of wires. In thepresent instance that opening is shown as circular and threaded to fitthe conduit 18, and a lip 19 is formed at the inner end of the openingto project over the end of the conduit and rotect the wires from comingin contact with any fins or ragged edges there may be on the end of theconduit. Each cover is also provided with a bushed opening through whichcables may enter.

In the use of my invention on the end of a conduit rising through thefloor, as shown in Fig. 1, the box is supported upon the conduit and thecable of wires rising through the conduit passes into the channel at theback of the block 7, where each wire is separated from the others, andlead through its channel 13 to its proper terminal screw 11, theinsulation on the wire being removed only sufficiently to bare the wireto the clamping action of the screw. Similarly the cable lead ing to theelectric devices on the desk passes through the hushed opening in thefront cover and its wires are likewise secured to the terminal screws.

It will be seen that, there being no occasion to remove insulation fromthe wires in the channels or even in the. slots passin through the sidewalls of the channels, an the said slots being adequately separated from-each other, and the terminal screws being on the outside of the blockand not in the channel, my invention provides most substantialprotection against grounding or short-circuiting due to the accidentalcoming together of the wires of the cable. This protection is soeffective and certain that a comparativel 'low grade of labor cansuccessfully ma e safe connections of wires. The split lugs and socketsIfind, by experience, to ma e effective and reliable connections foreve}? ,wire involved. 0

y box is exceedmgly compact having only the thickness of the two blocksand the two box covers.

As shown in Fig. 10 my box may be mounted upon the wall interposed in aconduit, the lowest section of which enters the lowestend of the'box,and the up er section of which enters-the upper end of the box.

My box may be used in many different positions. For instance, as-shownin Fig. 11, it may be mounted upon a base-board and the wires may enterit from the back, through the base-board.

The holes adapted to receive pipes or conduits may be rovided with screwplugs so thatthey can be filled. when not being used for connection witha pipe or conduit. In Fig. 7 I have illustrated such a plug screwed intoits hole.

I claim 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of ablock having a plurality of connection devices, a channel havin slotsthrough its side walls, and termina for said connection devices to whichsaid slots lead.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a blockhaving a plurality of connection devices, a terminal for each of saidconnection devices, a common entrance for wires and a separate slotleading from the common entrance to said connection devices.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a blockhaving a plurality of connection devices set in a face, a plurality ofterminals set in a side and passing through and securing said-connectiondevices in place, a. common entrance for wires, and a separate slotleading from the common entrance to each of sald terminals.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a blockhaving a plurality of rows of connection devices on its face andcorresponding terminals upon the opposite sides of the block, the blockhaving a channel in the back thereof, and slots through the side wallsof the channel adjacent said terminals.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair ofblocks, one of said blocks having a plurality of plugs thereon, and theother of said blocks having corresponding sockets and a plurality ofterminal posts connected thereto, and having separate passages for thewires leading to the same, said terminal posts being located at an angleto the plugs and sockets.

.6. In a device of the'character described, the combination of twoblocks, one of said blocks having a plurality of rows of plugs thereon,and the other of said blocks havin corresponding rows of socketstherefor an means for leading in the main connecting wires to the plugsand sockets at an angle to the latter.

7 In a' device of the character described,-

the combination of an open frame consisting of. sides and ends, meansfor supporting a block therein, connection devices on said block,terminals therefor on the side of the block,a cover and a block undersaid cover having corresponding connection devices.

ing slots 8. In a deviceof the character described, the combination ofan open frame having opposite covers, a block supported therein near oneof said covers, said block having a channel on its cover-side, acorrespondlng block near the opposite cover, said blocks havingco-acting connection devices thereon.

9. In a device of the character described,

a the combination of an open frame havingv opposite covers, a blocksupported therein near one of said covers, said block having a channelin its cover-side, a corresponding block near the opposite cover, saidblocks having co-acting connection devices thereon, there being a spacebetween said blocks and one end of said frame one of said box partshaving a hole therem opening into said space.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of an openframe having opposite covers, a block supported therein near one ofsaidcovers, said block having a channel on its cover-side, a correspondingblock near the opposite cover, said blocks having co-actingconnectiondevices thereon, there being a space between said blocks and one end ofsaid frame, said end of said frame havin an opening therein, and a plugadapted to c ose said opening.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of a blockhaving a plurality of connection devices, a channel hav through itssidewalls, terminals for said connection devices to which said slots lead,and an insulating closure.

. 12. In a device of the character described, the combination of an openframe, covers therefor, blocks having corresponding connection devicesmounted in their ad acent faces, one of said blocks being mounted insaid frame, said blocks having channels in their rear sides, and slotsformed in the walls of said channels to reach said connection devices.

13. In a device of the character described,

the combination of an open frame, covers' therefor, correspondingblocks, one mounted in said frame, said blocks having connection deviceson their adjacent faces, and having terminals therefor upon their sides,sai blocks having channels in their rear sides and slots opening fr )msaid channel toward said terminals.

14. In a device of the character described, the combination of an openframe, covers therefor correspond ng blocks, one mounted in said frame,said t locks having connection devices on their adjacent faces, andhaving terminals therefor upon. their sides, said blocks having chan1els in their rear sides .and slots opening f1 om said channel towardsaid terminals, said connection devices being in the form of rows ofsplit plugs and corresponding rows of sockets therefor,'and saidterminals being; in the form of screws passing through the shanks ofsaid plugs and sockets. y

15. In a device of the character described, the combination of an openframe, covers therefor, a pair of blocks, one of which is fastened tosaid fra me, said blockscarrying co-acting connection devices, said lastmentioned cover havi1g an opening therethrough, and its block having achannel in the back with slots leading to said connection devices butthrough its walls.

' 16. In a device of the character described, the combination of a blockhaving a plurality of connection devices, a recesshavin passages throughis side wall, and terminals for said connection devices, to which saidpassages lead.

17. In a device 01 the character described,

the combination of a frame, a cover' therefor, blocks having(orresponding connection devices mounted in their adjacent faces, one ofsaid blocks being; mounted in said frame, said blocks having channels intheir rear sides and slots formed in the walls of said channels to reachs: M connection devices.

In testimony thaw I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set I 1yhand.

HENRI FERGUSON RICHARDSON. Witnesses:

EDWIN J. P1 :INDLE, L. BRODERIG]

